Institute for Politics and the American Dream awards first two Gilligan Scholarships

| April 6, 2010

The Xavier University Institute for Politics and the American Dream is awarding its first two $2,500 Gov. John J. Gilligan scholarships on Thursday, April 8, at a special recognition dinner on campus. Juniors Katherine Ryder from Dayton, Ohio, and Brice Lipman from Hartland, Wisc., are receiving the scholarships, which are named after former Ohio Gov. John J. Gilligan, who led the selection committee. The awards were based on the student's commitment to public service and a written submission articulating their public vision and goals.

The scholarships are funded through the John J. Gilligan Endowment, which was created last year to honor the substantial legacy of the former Ohio governor through the provision of scholarships to Xavier students and to inspire new generations to seek and expand the noble tradition of selfless, thoughtful and fearless public service that his life has exemplified.

Gilligan was Ohio Governor from 1971-1975 and a Xavier legacy. The Governor’s grandfather was Xavier’s first basketball coach and his father was the first lay member of the board of trustees. After returning from WWII, Gov. Gilligan took his first job teaching literature at the University.

During his tenure as governor, Ohio voters approved a progressive income tax that created the resources to save schools and reform the system of treatment and care of the mentally ill. He instituted tough occupational safety laws for Ohio workers and new consumer protection laws, as well as new environmental protection measures, including halting the blight of strip mining in Ohio’s countryside.

The Gilligan family has continued in public service. Gov. Gilligan and his oldest daughter, Kathleen Sebelius, became the only father/daughter governor combination in American history. Today Sebelius serves as the Secretary for the U.S. Department for Health and Human Services.

The Institute for Politics and the American Dream aims to provide leadership in national discussions of politics and public policy in an academic setting. The Institute also serves as a center for researching crucial matters of public policy and governance, and disseminating its findings to the public.